| Some questions to set you thinking ... | Some very brief answers to get you going ... |
| The Castle | |
| Who built it? | William Briwere ca. 1200 |
| How did they build it? | Quite well from red Wembdon sandstone and Lias limestone, with Hamstone facings link |
| How big was it? | From the R. Parrett to the High Cross on the Cornhill, thence to Chandos Street |
| Who lived there? | The Lord of the Manor |
| Was there a moat? What was in it? Could you swim in it? What was it for? | Yes; water and some sewage; a bit risky; a defensive structure mainly |
| What were the surroundings like? | Quite a few houses and othe building; gardens |
| What was it like inside? | See the drawings |
| Did they have dungeons? Who was kept in them? | Yes. Prisoners who hadn't paid their taxes and other wrong-doers |
| Did they have a underground escape route? | Don't know! Maybe, but not documented |
| Did it have a drawbridge? | Yes - more than one |
| What was the 'smugglers' gate' for? | There wasn't one |
| What were the other buildings used for? | Storing hay; a chapel, meeting hall, pigeon loft |
| How did the boats get up the river? Where did the boats come from? What did they carry? Where were they kept? | Sailed; all over the place; wine inward, wool outward; moored at the quay |
| The people and how they lived | |
| Did knights/kings/queens/princesses live there? | Yes |
| What happened there? | Hm. |
| Was there ever a king in Bridgwater? | King John visited 5 times |
| Did they have treasure? | I think so; it was a safe place to keep it |
| What did they do in their spare time? Did they hunt? | Enjoyed themselves; hunted in North Petherton forest |
| Who did they socialise with? | Not many lived in the castle but would have socialised with their class |
| Did jesters perform in the castle? | Probably |
| Would there have been drama? What would it have been like? | Yes; mummers, mystery, religious |
| How did they have fun? What games did they play? | See websites |
| Who lived outside the castle walls? | The Mayor, Bailiffs, Burgesses, Townsfolk |
| Why did the owner have a leopard? | William de Cantilupe, Constable of the Castle, had a leopard's head in his heraldic device |
| What did they eat? | Fish, bread, lamb, pork, pigeons, cheese, fruit, vegetables. Details in Mortimer |
| Where did the food come from? | Fish pond (moat?), slaughtering; markets (est. 1200) |
| Was there an army? | From time-to-time, especially in the Civil War |
| Were there any battles fought? | Civil War |
| What weapons did they use? | pikes, cannons, swords |
| Were there lots of poor/rich people there? | It varied. There have always been some rich people in Bridgwater. Black Death killed ca. 50% indiscriminately |
| What animals lived there too? | Pigeons for certain; dogs, ferrets (for rats) |
| Did they have lots of servants? | Probably, when the Lord of the Manor was in residence; otherwise two or three perhaps |
| Did they have a coat of arms? What did it look like? | Depends on the family.See Heraldry |
| Did they have a flag? | Probably |
| Did they put people in the stocks? | Yes, by the High Cross where it was in public view |
| What did they wear? | Clothes: see websites |
| What was the population of Bridgwater at the time? | Variable, but below a 1000 in early medieval times. See Dilks Bridgwater Borough Archives in the Library |
| Theory | |
| Why did Bridgwater have a castle? | Defence, store for food, status symbol |
| Why were castles important? | Good place to be if times were hard |
| When does the 'present' become 'history'? | 1900. Discuss in not less than 30,000 words. Bayeux Tapestry here. |
| Why did they choose Bridgwater to build their castle? | Stable ground (hard gravel); impressive when sailing up-river |
| Now | |
| Am I related to anyone who lived in the castle? | |
| How did that bed get to the USA? | Sotheby's auction in 1972 ; 2,600gns before that had been in Chubb family |
| What happened to the castle? Was it destroyed in battle? | Fell down in part; partly rebuilt by Henry Harvey; his house partly destroyed in Civil War |
| What's there now? | 24 bits of a 1000 piece jigsaw - see presentatioons |
| What happened to the contents? | Sold, stolen, reused |
| What happened to the owner? | Died... |
| What is left of it? What is the evidence? | See presentations |